Past to Present
by TheDoctorReid
Summary: Set during 'Order of The Pheonix' book 5, what if James and Lily were to wake up? What if Harry didnt have to live without parents? How are the Potters back, and why?


Darkness.

That was the first thing that came to mind. She looked around wearily, the blur in her vision beginning to clear, but still, all she could see was darkness. There was rubble and ash every where in sight, an odd musty smell filled the air. She took a deep breath, trying to tell what the smell was. Dust. Thats what it was, and from the looks of it, comming from the old crib in the corner of the room. Thats when it all came back to her. The warning from Dumbledore,  
running to the bedroom, the sound of James dying, Harry crying and...her death.

But, if she was dead, why was she still here? Breathing and thinking? Never mind, she needed to find Harry. She hissed in pain as the bruising on her legs pressed against what once was a bedroom wall. Her legs were shaking as much as her breath when she finally got to a full standing position. Tripping over her own feet on her way to the crib, before slipping into it at full force, she looked inside for her son. Only instead to find a thick layer of dust.

"Oh Merlin no..." she through trembling lips. There was no way, it wasn't possible that he could have taken him.

"Harry...?" she half spoke half whispered "Harry!" this time the whisper was gone, and replaced with panic. "Harry! Where are you? HARRY?" sobs began to break from her scratched throat and rack through out her body. "HARRY!"

"..Lily..?" came a weak voice from the hall. It took Lily a while to work out whos voice it was, but when she did, boy was she releaved.

"James? James, James! are you there?" she pulled herself away from the crib and began to stagger towards the door frame, she leant against it for support before taking a fast breath and continuing to walk towards the stair case. She may not be dead, but her body sure felt like it. After another few seconds of struggeling she finally made it to her husbands body.

James was sitting up right, slowing rubbing the sides of his head in pain, wincing with every touch. Lily crowched down next to him and wrapped him in a tight hug, both of them ignoring the searing pain that shot through their bodies. They pulled away from each other slowly, taking in the state of their faces.  
James' was showered in cuts and covered in ash, where as Lily's was more preserved, it was only pale. "I though you were dead..." James sighed quickly,  
wiping away the cold tears down his wifes face. "You..you and Harry.." Lily froze, her entire body stiffining. James had a weak yet happy smile on his face, but when he felt Lily tense beneath him it immediantly left. "L..Lily? Wheres Harry?" She scrunched her eyes shut, trying despratly not to see the pain that was about to appear.

Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "N..no..." he stuttered, letting out a shaky breath. He pulled his wife back into another bone crushing hug. The two of them burried their faces into each others shoulders and let the tears flow for their son.

After what seemed like forever, they pulled apart again, neither daring to look at each other. "Why? Why did this have to happen?" James shrieked, in a voice strangly higher then his normal tone. "Because he was the chosen one, we both knew it." Lily still couldn't bare to bring her voice above a whisper, but she could tell James was in no mood for innocence.

He suddenly stood. Breathing slowing down as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He reached out a hand to his wife, who took it and began to stand as well.

"We need to talk to Dumbledore." He said, already walking down the stairs, his wife not far behind. They took each others hands once they made it to the front door, both shutting their eyes before leaving a remains of what once was a happy house hold.

When they landed in the new location, they immediantly knew that they hadn't landed at Hogwarts like they had hoped. "Where are we?" Lily asked glancing around the old room. "Were at Grimmauld Place. Sirius' house." The couple began to stagger out of the room they were in and into the living room, when they entered, Lily immediantly recognised the house and knew that is was infact Sirius' house.

"Padfoot? You home?" James called in a weak voice. Almost immediantly after calling out for him, Sirius appeared from around a corner of the house,  
shock written all over his...much older...face. His eyes were wide and mouth agape, nothing being able to come out. "Jeez Padfoot what happened that made you look so much like your old man?" Lily smiled weakily at how even though she felt like she could die at any second, her husband always managed to her feel happy. But yet Sirius stayed looking the same. James frowned slightly at his best friends reaction to seeing him, he waved his hand in front of his face as if trying to get him to snap out of what ever he was in. "Earth the Padfoot? Are you reading m-" he was cut off by Sirius raising his wand to the neck of his best friend. Lily gasped and covered he mouth in shock, "Sirius what are you doing!" she shrieked.

Sirius' face flashed with both anger and confusion, and some sadness, all at the same time as he dug the wand deaper into James' neck. "Sirius! Mate calm down!"

"I dont know who the HELL you think your playing at by doing this, or frankly how the heck you knew I was here but I swear if you go any where near him I will KILL YOU!" He had nothing but pure rage playing in his eyes and he looked about ready to kill. It was a look that in James' 10 years of being best friends he had never once seen.

"What are you talking about? Go near who?" it was hard to make proper words when the wand was pressed so hard against his voice box, but he continued-  
"Sirius, please put the wand down and explain to us why you all of a sudden want us dead?"

Lily, who was now in tears from the scene playing out in front of her, began to speak up, "Wasn't Harry dying enough for you?" at those words James shot her a questioning glance which she chose to ignore.

Sirius got more annoyed by each second of what was going on "Who are you two!" James and Lily shared a confused glance before answering at the same time with- "James and Lily Potter!" Sirius lowered his wand by an inch before turning to Lily and asking, "What was the first thing you every said to me about my hair?" she blushed at the memory before answering, "I told you it looked like a dead owl was glued on your head" Sirius then lowered his wand completly and placed it back into his pocket.

"Ok, so now that you believe its us can you explain what in the name of Merlin you were rambling about?" James didn't look impressed, and Sirius could tell he owed them both a proper explaination. "You two might want to sit down first." They complied by taking a seat next to each other on the sofa and watching Sirius pace for a moment before sending two owls off, then sitting opposite two people he never thought he'd see again.

"James, Lily, I'm so sorry."

"Why?" James asked

"Because this story is very long, and very complicated and I guarentee you will get confused during it."

James smirked before replying with "bring it on."

Sirius sighed in an almost sarcastic tone before beginning- "The first thing you have to under stand is that Harry is not dead-" Lily gasped in happiness and fell into James' arms once more. "-He is very much alive, just...not quite how you remember him."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked

"He's fifteen now."

A deathly silence fell between the three in the room. "f...fifteen..?" Lily questioned, her voice quivering slightly. James started rubbing small circles on her back to calm her down, it seemed to work as instead of bursting into tears she began to laugh, throwing herself into James' arms to muffel the sounds of her laughs. James and Sirius both looked confused before speaking up, "Um..Lils...whats so funny?" She looked up with a watery smile, answering, "He's not dead!" at this James began to smile to, because for all they knew, everything was alright.

Sirius sat looking sadly at his old friends, he cleared his throat to get they're attention because the story was long but over.

Albus Dumbledore sat quitely in his office, flicking through an old muggle magazine, when, if he was not mistaken, Sirius Blacks owl came flying through the window. 'Curious' Dumbledore thought, he only ever recieved owls from Sirius when it was an emergency, he just hoped that this time it didn't have to do with Remus running amock. Carefully taking the letter from the owl, he walked back to his desk and opened the seal. His eyes skimmed across the words quickly over his half moon glasses. With every word on the letter he got more and more stunned, before he sighed, and made his way to Sirius' house.

As Remus Lupin shut the front door of his house and made his way down the hall he spotted a small yellowed envelope on the desk in the centre of the room,  
next to it, an old exhausted looking owl. He opened the letter and began to read it word by word down the page. At first he thought it could be a joke. Just another of Padfoots stupid jokes, but then he remembered just how sensitive Padfoot is about the topic of the Potters. No it...it couldn't be real, it just couldn't. Could it? Deciding there was only one way to find out, he whirled on his coat and made his way to his broom, hoping this wasn't happening.

With in three seconds after Lupin arrived Dumbledore did as well. They looked at each werrily before heading inside of the house. When inside they were welcomed with a very sad and yet, very happy face of Sirius Black. He grinned slightly when he saw Lupin and Dumbledore enter the hall way, they nodded a hello in return before Lupin spoke first, "Whats going on here?"

"Its seems that James and Lily have come back from the dead" Sirius said blankly

"But how? Its not possible." said Lupin

"See for yourself.." replied Sirius, directing them into the lounge with a slight glint in his eye. Dumbledore raised his eye brow before heading through the old door frame and into the loung room, followed by Lupin. And sure enough, sitting on the couch, was James and Lily Potter, looking as young as the day they died, curled up next to each with happiness and confusion on both their faces. "Hello James" Dumbledore said, turning to Lily, "And hello to you to Lily."  
The couple turned to look at the new additions in the room. Lily Jumped up from her place on the couch and leapt into her favourite professors arms, he responded with the hug then pulled back and shook hands with James.

When Dumbledore moved aside the two could get a good view on who else was in the room, "Remus Lupin!" Lily said happily, then leaping into his arms. "Yes, I've missed you two Lily" he replied. "Moony!" James grinned, then accepted a hug from him.

"Alright, alright, were all happy to see each other, now lets try to clean up some of this mess." Dumbledore spoke with fondness in his voice as he took a seat on one of the old tattered leather chairs. Sirius next to him, then Lupin, James and Lily.

"I'm guessing Sirius has filled you in on the latest events, and past few years to?" Lupin asked.

"Yes.. Yes he has" James answered, although his mind was still processing all the recent information he was given.

"I want to meet him." all eyes in the room landed on Lily when she spoke those words, she shrugged and continued speaking "He's my son, I have the right"  
Dumbledore looked like he was in very deap thought before saying, "I understand that, but after what Harrys been through lately, I'm not sure its the best thing."

Lily scoffed, "well maybe it'll make things better! What if seeing James and I help him?"

"I agree with Lily," James said, "And yes, I do want to see how Harrys turned out, because it may be our only chance to, and it could help him get over the recent events that have happened."

"I must admit it could help Harry" Lupin spoke, "Oh, come on Dumbledore. Sirius and I see him alot less then you do and even we can tell he needs this. The poor childs been a mess since what happened last year." The two Potters in the room looked on at the three men arguing with sad eyes, these are the things they didn't want to hear about their son.

It was Sirius who spoke next, "Remus is right Dumbledore, we dont know if this thing is perminate, and even if he only see's them for a minute it could do the world of good"

"Or the world of bad, Sirius." Dumbledore said, "On Harrys first year at Hogwarts, when he found the Mirror of Erised, he would sit at that thing, night after night, looking into it and seeing James and Lily. Now if he was to see these two for only the shortest amount of time, it could finally drive him over the edge!"

"Dumbledore be fair! If Harry was going to be driven over the edge from something, it would have happen a long time ago." Lupin said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Lily was looking heart broken at the words being spoken about her baby. Yes, after what she had been told he had been through, she wasn't expecting him to be fine, but she was still hoping he wasn't entirerly mental. "Please Dumbledore, just let us see him." she squeeked out.

Dumbledore sighed and ran his hand down his face, before looking up, meeting the eyes of the Potters. "Fine. But we'll have to make sure Harrys ok with this first." before another word could be spoken, he apperated out of the room. Leaving the other four to them selves.

"Is he really that depressed?" James asked

"Not so much as depressed-" Lupin said "-just..lost"

Harry was sitting up in bed looking over the Marauders map, just waiting for something to happen. But for some reason, tonight was oddly quite. Usually atleast one or two people would be out of bed and wandering around, but tonight, there was nothing. Just silence. He was about to put the map away and call it a night, when a pair of footsteps made there way onto the map. Correction, Dumbledores footsteps made there way onto the map. He followed the footsteps, wondering where Dumbledore could be going. Where ever it was, he was in a hurry. The footsteps climbed up the staircase towards the third floor corridor. Then they began heading towards the Gryffindor common room. Harry quickly placed the map on the bed side table, then he pulled his glasses off and quickly layed down.

As soon as he did, the door of the Gryffindor boys dormintry opened. Dumbledore walked over to Harrys bed and layed a hand over Harry's shoulder.

"I know your awake Harry, its ok." he said. Harry reached over to the bedside table and picked up his glasses, putting them on and sitting back up, he asked,  
"Whats going on Professor?" Dumbledore reached out his hand for Harry to take, who took it and stood up. "You might want to get changed Harry, we have to go somewhere."

After Harry got dressed, he and Dumbledore apperated to an empty street. "Dumbledore, where are we going?"

"Were going to head quaters, Harry."

Harry quickly turned to look at the professor "Why? Is something wrong? Did something happen to Sirius? Or Professor Lupin? Or Mad Eye?"

"Harry, Harry, calm down. No one is hurt. Something has happened, and were not sure what yet, but there are some people who really want to see you."

Harry was more confused then ever now, "Who wants to see me? Am I in trouble?"

"No, Harry, no you are not in trouble. Theres just something going on at the moment. But we will work it out." Harry nodded and continued to walk down the empty road in confusion. When they made it to head quaters, Dumbledore froze right before the door way, grabbing onto Harrys shoulder to stop him from entering.

"Harry, what your going to see inside will come as a shock, I'm not going to deny that. But if at any point you dont feel up to this, you leave the house immediantly ok?" Harry nodded again, although he had no idea what to expect now. Dumbledore cautiously pushed the door open and signiled for Harry to go inside. When Harry stepped inside, he expected to find something to do with Voldemorts return, or maybe some body was hurt. At one point he even thought it could have something to do with Ron and Hermione. But all those thoughts were erased when he saw his mother and father standing in the lounge of his god fathers house.

He slowly stumbeled backwards on his feet when he made eye contact with his father, who smiled slightly. Then his gaze made its way to his mother, the bright green eyes shone, with tears when she looked at her son. Harry took a step backwards, unsure of what to do. He blinked repeatidly, as if trying to remove them from his line of vision, like they were a hallucination. But they weren't. They were there. Standing there. Looking at him with such intense gazes it felt like they were looking right through him, looking into his soul, into the pain and fear that had plauged him his whole life.

Before he knew what was happening his mother swept him into a tight embrace. He stood frozen for a second, before melting into the hug. He burried his head into her shoulders and let the tears flow freely. He felt so comfortable in his mothers arms, so safe and content. But wait. This couldn't be right! His parents were dead, he couldn't be hugging his mother.

When that thought hit Harry he lept backwards immediantly. Lily took on a look of shock from the sudden disaperence of Harry but when she saw just how hurts and confused he looked, she decided that the young boy needed confirmation more then she did.

"Harry, meet Lily and James. Your parents." Dumbledore said planley, and made some odd hand gesture towards the two. But Harry still remained frozen on the ground. "Oi!" Sirius called, snapping his fingers in front of his face, only to have them swatted away by Lupin. Sirius growled at Lupin before shouting at Harry- "Ron and Hermione are in danger!" almost immediantly after Harry had pulled his wand out in a fast blur, and looked like he was ready to jinx the next person he layed eyes on.

"Woah! Woah! Harry, I was joking!" Sirius said with a playful smile and his hands raised in defeat. Harry put the wand back in his jacket pocket and looked like he was back to normal, before he flickered his gaze back to the left and saw Lily and James again. Then he went back to being shocked and frozen.  



End file.
